tiramisu

Classic tiramisu recipe with mascarpone, coffee-soaked ladyfingers, and a creamy texture—no baking, just 30 minutes of assembly and chill time.

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Total Time 1 1

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 410

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Main layers

3 unit egg yolks
0.75 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup mascarpone cheese
2 cup strong brewed coffee cooled to room temperature
2 tablespoon coffee liqueur optional
200 g ladyfinger cookies about 24 pieces

Topping

2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Method

Brew your coffee early so it cools down. Hot coffee will make mushy ladyfingers—trust me, I’ve rushed and regretted it. Add the coffee liqueur to the cooled coffee if using.
Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat egg yolks and sugar together in a heatproof bowl until pale and thick—this takes about 3–4 minutes.
Get a small saucepan with a bit of simmering water (not touching the bowl) and set the yolk mixture over it. Whisk constantly for about 5 minutes until slightly warm and increased in volume. Remove from heat and cool to room temp.
In a new bowl, whip heavy cream until it hits soft peaks—you want it thick but still billowy.
Fold the mascarpone into your cooled yolk mixture gently so it stays airy. Then fold in half the whipped cream. Once mostly blended, add the rest. Don’t overmix—those bubbles matter.
Pour your cooled coffee into a flat dish. Dip each ladyfinger quickly—about 1 second per side. If you soak them any longer, they’ll fall apart in the finished tiramisu.
Line the bottom of your serving dish with a single layer of dipped ladyfingers. Spoon half the mascarpone mixture over, smoothing to the edges.
Repeat with another layer of dipped ladyfingers and the rest of the cream mixture. Finish by smoothing the top gently.
Refrigerate at least 4 hours—overnight for best texture. Right before serving, dust with cocoa powder using a fine sieve or mesh strainer.

Notes

I started making tiramisu at home for big family dinners because it's the one dessert that actually gets better overnight—so I could make it ahead and relax the day of.

Hands-on tips from a nutritionist who cooks

Your biggest risk is soggy ladyfingers. You want them to be soaked—never swimming. I dip them one at a time, count out “one Mississippi,” flip, then straight into the dish. If you end up with gaps, just break a ladyfinger in half to fill. Nobody complains about an extra bit of cookie.

The egg-sugar heating step gives the cream more body and makes it safe. If you skip this step, the texture is looser and the shelf life drops to about 24 hours. I tested both ways: my family couldn't tell the difference in flavor, but the heated version holds up better for seconds the next day.

Whipping the mascarpone makes the mixture airy instead of heavy—but don’t overdo it or it starts to split. Think “fold” not “beat.”

Variations and swaps

If you can't find mascarpone, full-fat cream cheese will work, but soften it completely first and expect a slight tang. Greek yogurt? I don't recommend it—too tart and watery.

Want to make it alcohol-free? Just use straight coffee. In fact, my mom never used the liqueur unless it was for company dinner.

Storage and prep notes

Tiramisu keeps about 3 days in the fridge. Cover the top tightly with wrap, but don't sprinkle with cocoa until you're ready to serve, or it'll go damp and spotty. Leftovers also freeze surprisingly well—just thaw overnight and dust again.